Shatner To Host Canadian Award Show

CBC Television and the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television announced that William Shatner will be hosting the 31st Genie Awards this spring.

The Genie Awards began in 1980 and are given annually to honor Canada’s film industry. Joining Shatner at this year’s ceremony will be Rachelle Lefevre (Barney’s Version), who will “act as the voice of the show.”

“We could not have asked for a more ideal person to host the 31st Annual Genie Awards and we can’t wait for William Shatner to bring his talent and charm to this year’s event,” said Kirstine Stewart, executive vice-president, English Services, CBC. “With an incredible collection of talented nominees, the biggest stars from the silver screen, special musical performances and the legendary William Shatner as host, the Genie Awards are going to be a night of celebration that Canadians nationwide won’t want to miss.”

“William Shatner is a beloved icon and a proud Canadian. We are absolutely thrilled that Mr. Shatner will be joining us at the Genie Awards to honor our country’s talent and to celebrate a phenomenal year in Canadian film,” said Sara Morton, CEO, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.”

This year’s ceremony will take place on March 10 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa and Canadians will be able to see the ceremony televised live by CBC.

Shatner was born and raised in Montreal.

In other Shatner news, Shatner will be bringing his Kirk, Crane & Beyond show to Brisbane, Australia on April 11 for one night. Shatner will share “anecdotes, lessons learnt and pearls of wisdom gathered from almost sixty years in show business.” He will be interviewed in an “informal couch chat” by a guest interviewer.

Kirk, Crane and Beyond will be held at the Concert Hall of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), with tickets ranging from $149 (Aus) to $350 (Aus), the latter being a VIP ticket that enables fans to attend a special meet-and-greet. More details can be found here.